


Intimacy, Recovery

by hibiren



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Developing Relationship, Emotions, Feels, Intimacy, Living Together, M/M, Making Up, Non-Sexual Intimacy, One Shot, Sad and Sweet, Working Out My Feelings Through Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:08:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27235507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hibiren/pseuds/hibiren
Summary: After a fight, Rude finds a way to help Reno feel a little bit better.
Relationships: Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 52





	Intimacy, Recovery

**Author's Note:**

> written in one sitting, mostly undedited, because I had a rough day and needed to get a little something out
> 
> <3

Anger still simmers deep in Reno’s chest by the time he’s out of the shower. He doesn’t bother fixing his hair, or even glancing toward the steam-fogged mirror, as he dries himself off a bit too harshly with his towel before wrapping it around his waist and heading for the door. When he reaches for the doorknob, the sound of footsteps on the other side makes him pause. Bad habit has him chewing on the inside of his mouth as he mentally tracks the fading steps down the hall, listening as the weight turns and… turns back again, and again, and now Reno knows he’s done it. Guilt pools into that low-burning frustration and stews right along with it, and it’s starting to leave a bad taste in Reno’s mouth. He chews on his cheeks a little bit harder to keep from thinking too much about it.

Rude’s pacing in the kitchen. Again.

Their argument wasn’t even Reno’s fault. Not that he thought it was. But it wasn’t Rude’s fault either. They’d started shouting at each other over something stupid - something really stupid, and Reno almost laughs because he can hardly remember exactly  _ where  _ it started - before it got any worse, Reno had decided to take a shower. Usually that works as a reset, a break, something to get away. But he can’t get away for long. He never can. Of course not, not when he lives with Rude full-time now. It’s still an adjustment, some days, for both of them. Having to share a formerly private space. Learning each other intimately after teaming up. Learning each other intimately again after sharing an apartment - the moment the blessings of privacy virtually disappeared.

They just don’t know how to talk to each other yet. About work? Not a problem. But personal shit? That just crosses a line that both of them are still too deep in their own heads to discuss. That’s a little  _ too  _ intimate. Reno will never know everything about Rude, and he accepts that. Rude knows the same about Reno - because there are still many, many things he hasn’t told his partner, and he plans to keep it that way. If Rude finds out anything about what he’s been through past the couple of bad jokes he’s let slip after a couple drinks… if he finds out anything close to the truth? Reno would lose what respect Rude’s slowly given him over the years of their partnership. Their relationship. Dating? Out the window. Fucking? Not a chance.

Reno’s still standing in front of the doorknob as his head spins, mind rapid-firing a thousand different anxious little  _ what-ifs _ at him until he can hardly breathe.

And then, the doorknob turns, and the door slowly opens.

“Yeah, I’m movin’,” Reno mutters, and shoves his way through the parted door. But Rude’s stubbornly standing in his way, and that just makes Reno scowl. Irritation bubbles up, overwhelms him, like someone just opened a shaken soda can in his chest; it only worsens because it  _ still _ feels like he can’t fucking breathe - but everything stops when Rude looks down at him. No sunglasses, just Rude.

Reno blinks. He swallows, and curses the fact that his throat feels like it’s closing up on him.

When Rude reaches out, Reno flinches away. He flinches again when Rude’s palm settles against the top of his head to slick his hair back. Rude steps closer and closes the distance between them, and Reno closes his eyes as his partner’s other hand slips around his waist. Rude’s fingers in his hair, slowly combing through and untangling the still-wet strands, soothes all the frustration, the anxiety, the  _ fear _ away - until Reno’s mind is utterly blank except for a single thought.

“Sorry,” Reno mumbles, tensing as Rude’s arm around him squeezes, but squeezes gently.

“Me too,” Rude whispers, before kissing the top of Reno’s head. Reno chokes on a sob and bites it back, hoping that by pressing into Rude’s chest it’ll hide how he’s really feeling. Rude always tells him his face gives him away regardless of his excuses.

Reno helplessly buries his head into his partner’s shirt,  _ it smells like Rude, it smells like home - _

“Hey,” Rude says, voice warm and soft in Reno’s ear, “Come with me for a minute?”

Reno doesn’t say anything, but he nods, and lets Rude nudge him down the hall toward their bedroom. Reno sits down on the bed and Rude sits next to him. After a little shifting, Reno’s back is to Rude, and then… Rude’s fingers are in his hair again. It’s a little less damp, now, and Reno just focuses on the feeling of his partner’s hands - no gloves, bared fingertips - smoothing through his hair, the light, familiar tugs and pulls, until recognition slowly comes to him.

Rude’s braiding his hair.

“Where… where’d you learn how to do that?” Reno asks, even though the words are weak, trembling their way out of his sore, tight throat.

“Back home,” Rude says simply, and Reno doesn’t push. He’s surprised, as Rude continues, “When I was younger. There was… someone I liked. They had really long, beautiful hair. I remember… every time our town celebrated a holiday, they’d ask me to braid it for them. I’d put flowers in it, too.”

“Oh… yeah?”

“Yeah. Couldn’t really practice on myself, y’know, so I had a hard time figuring it out at first,” Rude chuckles, and Reno finds himself laughing a little, too.

“Well, you can practice on me all you want,” Reno offers, as Rude works his way down Reno’s hair, splitting and braiding it. It’s definitely a complete change from yelling at each other just a short while ago, but Reno finds that he prefers this to fighting. Even though he’s mostly naked, sitting on their bed, letting Rude braid his hair, something that should have been awkward at the very least; Reno doesn’t want to admit this is exactly the type of intimacy he craves. So he savors every moment, for as long as he can. Rude finishes the braid, and it miraculously stays in place as he loops one of Reno’s hair ties into it. He then pulls Reno’s back to his chest so they can both lay against the bed, with Reno curled up on top of him. Like it’s any other night.

“You can put flowers in my hair too, if you want,” Reno mumbles, listening as Rude’s heart echoes against his ear, a steady thrum in the otherwise quiet of their bedroom.

“Find me some, and I’ll do it,” Rude hums, and slips the braid through his fingers like he’s admiring his handiwork.

“Mm. Deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can keep up with me on twitter at [duskynebula](https://twitter.com/duskynebula) [blog content is 18+] if you'd like! I'm a little more active over there <3


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